Third Place
by L'Archel-Hotishi
Summary: Aqua thinks she'll always be third place in Richter's heart, next to Aster and Emil. But when her master is in danger, feelings don't matter as she rushes in to save him. Takes place on a extra quest into Comberto Caves. Possible spoilers.


_Title: Third Place_

_Pairing: Aqua x Richter_

_Disclaimer: ToS:KoR / DotNW is not mine, nor do I claim any ownership to it._

_Rating: K _

_**Dedicated to CrowTRobot**__, who is becoming a very dear friend. They thought of a Richter x Aqua fanfic and, frankly, I'm cool with that. XD_

_Please enjoy! ((Poor Tenebrae…he gets called so many names by Aqua. They're so cute, though.))_

_Important: This takes place during a quest where Richter, Emil, Aqua, and Richter, and Tenebrae in the middle of the game where they leave Marta in Triet. It takes them to the Camberto Caves. Possible minor spoilers. _

_------------------START------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_**Master Richter…why don't you understand? No matter how many times I put myself in harm's way…you never realize how much I truly care for you. I even gave up my place by Ratatosk and the other Centurions because I was so moved by your story…why don't you understand that!? **_

_**Are you so obsessed with Aster that you have forgotten about me?**_

_**I guess…you have. I am supposed to be helping you bring him back, but I can't help but feel jealous of that man. Aster…and that one human with Tenebonehead…Emil, why do you like them more than me?**_

_**I don't want to be third place forever, Master Richter…**_

"_Aqua…Aqua!"_

_Her cat-like eyes snapped open to see a slightly annoyed Richter standing in front of her. He cursed under his breath and pushed on his glasses. "Don't daydream like that…you could get hurt if you don't stay focused," he said. He unsheathed his weapon and marched on like he had forgotten she had existed. _

_She nodded and muttered, "Yes, Master Richter…" before following him further into the Camberto Caves. Emil followed behind him, head hanging in worry about Marta finding out he'd left Triet and the black Centurion following behind and snickering at the blonde mortal's concerns. _

_Pretty soon, Emil and Richter had begun talking about their opinions on the copious amounts of herbs scattered about when the Centurion of Water caught herself staring at the back of Richter's head, his feathered, crimson locks fluttering softly. Tenebrae looked at her and tried to stifle a laugh. "Oh my, I knew you were infatuated with that man…but I didn't know you were…" _

_She hastily turned and shushed him, horrified beyond measurable bounds that her master had overheard his statement. _

"_Spiteful Tenebrae," Aqua hissed as soon as the two mortals had wandered out of earshot. "Listen, I don't muddle in your affairs, do I?" She put her hands on her waist and waited for a response, still looking and eyeing her secret crush mindfully._

_He chuckled bitterly. "I believe you have--after leaving Ratatosk's side and leaving us responsible of everything, I do believe you __**have **_muddled in my affairs," he remarked smartly, watched Aqua's blue cheeks flush red with anger.

"Quiet, Tenebonehead! You don't know anything about what I'm going through!"

"On the contrary, Emil and Marta go through the same problem with romance--you like Emil, right? He helped save your petty little master when he was injured." She grit her teeth and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but only because he saved Master Richter!"

"I could give you advice on the matter…_**or**_ I could just tell Richter everything you've said to me. After all, you seem to be my enemy."

She jumped back in horror, watching Tenebrae's eyes spark like fireworks with a sudden interest. "Oh, so that would humiliate you?" She nodded, practically begging him to spare her the embarrassment with puppy-eyes stare.

"No, no, no! Spiteful Tenebrae…please!"

The dark-colored entity nodded and laughed at her. "Of course, I'll give you advice…on one condition," he said slowly, tilting his head downward and off to the side. Aqua nodded, as if she was saying that she'd do anything for one shot at winning her master's love.

"Very well," he began like a wise sage, clearing his throat. "There are many kinds of love…family love, friend love, and true love. Now, you probably fall under friend or possibly family. You must nudge yourself into the later category by first boldly declaring your feelings in a way that isn't awkward, then he'll at least know that you want be to a lover and not just a friend."

Hearing this, Aqua felt like something was happening…like she was actually going to confess. Her eyes were blurred and it felt like a million birds were flapping around in her stomach. "Yeah…well, I guess I'll say thanks Tenebonehead," she declared, pretending to be her normal spunky self. She quickly flew off to find her red-haired master, hoping she could go through with her plan. "My condition--" Tenebrae yelled at her. She froze and floated back over to him, already impatient and shaky from their conversation.

"Oh…what?"

Tenebrae snickered and stared up at the blue haired Centurion. "I want you to make him fall in love with you and prove it to me…otherwise your time away from Ratatosk was wasted. Not only does that insult him greatly, it insults me."

Aqua's hand flew to her moth when she heard this. "I…you…" She thought about everything that could possibly go wrong in this little plan…and if she didn't go through with it after promising that spiteful dog, he'd leak her information, of worse, hurt him.

"_**In order to protect Master Richter…I must do it…there's no other alternative!"**_

"Okay…fine! You gave me good advice, but this doesn't change anything, okay!? I still hate you." Tenebrae closed his eyes and nodded, leaping into the air daintily and vanishing into a thick cloud of blackness. The smoke spun in the air and shot towards Emil and Richter. "I'd hurry, Aqua. Richter and Emil are battling a tough monster."

She gasped and saw a reddish glow in the distance, followed by an autumn-colored explosion. "Master Richter!" She swam through the air like a fish and arrived just in time to see her master turn his back away to help Emil, who'd been caught off guard my a monster's poison.

"Hgh…" Emil gasped, hitting the ground with so much force that Aqua could feel a small vibration. Turning his back to assist the poor boy, Richter called, "Emil!" before he was scratched across the back by a monster's claws and then kicked in the stomach. He flew back and landed in the same spot as Emil, small trails of blood running out of the deep gashes in his back. Enraged, Aqua thrust herself in the midst of the heavy battle and threw out an arm towards the beast.

Foamy splashes of water boomed around her and a monster began to form itself. "Don't you dare hurt the man I love," she screamed, unleashing a mermaid like creature on the giant, pudgy mushroom. "Siren, go!"

Richter's green eyes widened at her sentence.

The mermaid creature pointed it's ornate wand at the mushroom and gargled the words, "Aqua Edge". The monster tried to dodge, but the sharpness of the water sent it flying into a tree. It then vanished collapsed, lifeless and cold. She breathed heavily, not even realizing what she had said. "Are you okay…Master Richter," she asked sweetly, floating over to him. Emil rose quietly, rushing over to the man with a Lemon Gel in his hand. "Richt--" he cried, then suddenly being pulled to a stop by Tenebrae's tail. "Tenebrae…what are you doing? Richter is hurt and…"

"Give them time alone," the Centurion muttered simply. "Use a Panacea Bottle to cure your poison." Suddenly reminded of his own problems, he downed the liquid quickly and followed Tenebrae's away from the couple. Emil brushed the sandy blonde hair from his lush, leafy eyes and stared at the odd couple questioningly.

"Tenebrae…what is Aqua doing?"

The Centurion if Darkness laughed gaily.

"Something that you will do to Lady Marta one day," he half-laughed, looking on with a more cheery face than Emil would have expected out of him. Castagnier stared into the flowery clearing, small pink buds framing the two perfectly, like it was a movie. Small, colorful butterflies flew from flower to flower and the large body of water in the distance gave the outside garden a surprisingly clean smell. The setting finally made him understand. "…Oh, wow…Aqua, I'm so happy…"

He then turned beet red.

"What do you mean by that, Tenebrae!"

Another laugh, then he vanished.

"Hey, Tenebrae…that's not nice! Tenebrae!"

"Master Richter, I'll heal you, just lay down and stay still," she commanded, speaking slowly as to try and keep the sobs down her throat. She wrapped and arm around his back, and as her fingers contacted the ripped flesh, a sparkling glow emanated from her. "I acquired this skill a while ago…a healing arte…"

"Aqua…what you said earlier…I," he began, the poison sinking deeper into his body and making his face turn while as cotton. "Hgh!" She saw what looked like blue wires under his flesh become more and more visible through his skin. She looked at the man sadly, stroking his guava jam-colored hair. "Since you can't talk, I will…" she added, feeling his heartbeat run through her body. "I love you…a lot. I've given up so much for you, so I couldn't help myself…"

He let one, single tear drip on to her master's cheek. "Even if you don't love me back, I just want you to understand…"

"_**Please live, for me…and for Aster…live the life he never could. Please."**_

The bunch finally arrived back in Triet to find Marta just emerging from the fortune teller's line. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he hurried over. "Emil, Emil, guess what," she chimed happily, bouncing up and down like a popcorn kernel that was about to burst open. "What," he returned, extremely pleased that she hadn't figured out he'd left with Richter. She giggled and leaned over so her cerulean blue eyes could stare into his emerald colored eyes. "I just paid the fortune teller one-hundred-thousand extra for a good fortune, and she says we'll get married!"

"What…I thought the fortunes were free…" he said slowly, then the rest of the sentence soaked into his brain. "Wait, married?!"

"They were free…but I paid her extra for a better and longer reading…isn't it great!? Oh…walking down the isle in a clean white dress with you standing there…looking so handsome…so romantic," she daydreamed, fists balled up under her chin. Her eyes sparkling with giddiness like a horse that had just eaten a handful for it's favorite sugar. "Oh….where should it take place? Maybe atop the dais is Asgard…or maybe in Altamira?"

"M-Marta!"

As the trio became distracted by Lualdi's rash behavior, Richter looked out from behind the pillar and sighed, seeing Ratatosk's core glimmer brightly under her chestnut colored bangs. "I'll let her go for today…" he muttered as he turned to walk out of the desert village.

Aqua nodded and cheerfully remarked, "Alright, which core do we go after next, Master Richter?" Richter turned back to the blue haired lady slowly, arms crossed firmly over his chest. "Actually, Aqua…about earlier…"

She shook in terror and nodded. She was glad that she'd confessed, but she was actually kind of hoping he'd just drop the matter.

"What is it, Master Richter?"

"About what you said earlier…I didn't know what to say. But after thinking about it, I realize how much it took for you to leave your side by Ratatosk to assist me. You are truly strong, and I hadn't realized that up until now. Thank you, Aqua…"

"_**Th…Thank you? He said it…thank you…"**_

"You're welcome, but Master, if we don't hurry then Tenebonehead's team will reach the cores before us!"

He pushed on his glasses and chuckled a little. "You make it sound like a race…"

She laughed in return, closing her eyes and throwing her arms like she was a cheerleader. "Well, it is--" she began, but stopped when she felt lips briefly brush against her cheek. She turned the color of a strawberry and looked over to see Richter walking ahead with his hand gripped tightly around his weapon. "To the next temple, Aqua."

Putting a hand to her reddened cheek, she stuttered a reply. "Master…did you just…did you just, you know…?"

She saw a faint blush appear on his handsome face before he scoffed and turned away from her. "Hurry…we can't afford to lose. As soon as I get all the cores…I'll transform this world into Niffelhiem and bring Aster back to life…" he said slowly, green eyes falling to the ground and staring at a small gray stone.

"You…really did…"

"No such thing, let's go," he said somewhat angrily, but in quivering voice, like he was trying to mask his embarrassment. She smiled widely and swam towards him, wrapping her black arms around his wide shoulders and humming merrily.

"Yes, let's go!"

"_**I'll follow you forever, Master Richter!"**_

-----------------END-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading to the end, hope you guys like it…I needed to have some Emil x Marta in there, though. I couldn't help it. XD;


End file.
